Displaying items by tag: Cleveland Indians

The excitement is in the air for baseball fans in Northeast Ohio as Andrew Miller was acquired from the New York Yankees via trade Sunday.

Sports Anchor Hakem Dermish from News Channel 5  chatted with Sam Bourquin Monday about the game-changing lefty and what he brings to the ballclub.

Hakem said he knows the Indians gave up a lot to get Miller, but in order for the Tribe to be playing in the postseason and succeeding in the postseason, they had to make a move.

In addition to Miller, the Indians picked up Jonathan Lucroy from Milwaukee, but he vetoed his no-trade clause and ended up staying with the Brewers.

With the trade deadline coming up at 4 p.m. Eastern, Dermish believes the Tribe's not done dealing.

"I'd love to see them add a bat like (Carlos) Beltran,  I think he adds pop to the lineup."

For the full interview with Hakem, click here.

The MLB Trade deadline is Monday, at 4 p.m. There's been some guys coming and going, but the hometown Cleveland Indians have stood pat...for now.

Scott Miller, National MLB Columnist for the Bleacher Report joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the Indians' thoughts heading into the deadline.

"They're ( the Indians) out there talking quite a bit," Miller said.  "The whole Jonathan Lucroy thing is very interesting, you know clearly he would be a teriffic fit for the Indians, and whether they can pull it off or not, nobody knows."

Lucroy, who plays for the Milwaukee Brewers, has drawn interest from many teams including the Indians as of late, not only for his bat, but his work behind the plate as a catcher.

Are the Indians a contender or a pretender as they approach Monday's trade deadline? Can they solidify themselves as a player in the AL Central division and make a deep postseason run?

Jordan Bastian, Indians reporter for MLB.com answered these questions and more with Sam Bourquin Thursday. 

He seems to think they're a contender.

"I think they would be great if they got their foot on the gas and made a move before the trade deadline (Monday)," he said.  The Tribe is currently in first place in the AL Central and could be looking for some bullpen help or another catcher.

The Indians have the day off today before starting a three-game set with the Oakland A's  at Progressive Field.

The Indians' miscues in addition to the pitching of Nationals' ace Stephen Strasburg spelled doom for them as the fell at the hands of the Nats this afternoon at the corner of Carneige and Ontario.

Sports Time Ohio baseball analyst and former Tribe pitcher Jensen Lewis joined Brad Russell to talk about how the Indians have been struggling as of late and what they need to do in order to make a deep October run.

"They beat themselves a little bit (today), and that's been the theme here for the past week or so," Lewis said. "That's not the crisp baseball that Tito Francona has been talking about."

The Tribe had a couple of errors that cost starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco some runs, and three errors were made in last night's game, and despite the win last night, they have to clean up a couple of things. 

Jensen seems to think the Indians are going to strike while the iron's hot as far as adding a piece with the trade deadline looming, and trying to maintain that first place lead in the AL Central.

The Cleveland Indians fell to the Washington Nationals 4-1 this afternoon at Progressive Field, and with the trade deadline coming up Monday, the Tribe could be wheeling and dealing. 

Zack Meisel from Cleveland.com joined the Sam Bourquin Show Wednesday to talk about the quick series with the Nats and if they could make a move to bolster their roster as they try to make a deep postseason run.

 "I think they're still talking to Milwaukee about a whole host of players, either Lucroy or some outfielders," Meisel said.  "However, they're still in the market for a reliever, so they're talking to some teams about bullpen help."

The Indians have the day off Thursday and then they return to Progressive Field to start a three-game set with the Oakland A's

With top prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier being sent to AAA Columbus, things are looking solid for the Indians farm system.

Carter Hawkins, Director of Player Development for the Indians joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the youngsters in the system, making sure they're on schedule with their development.

 "It's been a cool story for both of them, very similar in a lot of ways, very different in a lot of ways," Hawkins said.

"Both of those guys are moving relatively quickly for their age, relative to other players, and we feel like they're both in the right place developmentally to improve."

For the full interview with Carter Hawkins, click here.

The Cleveland Indians and Washington Nationals will be squaring off at the corner of Carniege and Ontario tonight in what is going to be an exceptional pitching matchup between Danny Salazar and Gio Gonzalez.

Tribe broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the two clubs and what the offense needs to do to get back on track.

"We need to see what we can do against quality starting pitching,"  Rosenahaus said.

 The Tribe was swept by the Orioles over the weekend, and after the off day, they are ready to roll with some home cooking.

 Tomorrow's matchup pits Carlos Carrasco against Steven Strasburg Wednesday afternoon. First Pitch tonight at 7:10pm with a 6:37 first pitch on 1590 WAKR.

For Jim's full interview with Sam, click here.

The Indians have been swept by the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, and with Aroldis Chapman now off the table, the Indians could be in the market for a reliever.

Matt Loede from NEOSportsInsiders.com joined Brad Russell Monday to talk about the possibilities that the Indians could be bringing in some new talent in the pitching department and possibly in other areas as well.

"There's still players out there," Loede said. "Andrew Miller is still a viable option, and I don't think this is over by a longshot."

The Tribe may also be looking for a catcher as well, with the struggling Yan Gomes being out with a shoulder injury and some decent contributions from Chris Jiminez and Roberto Perez.

After the Indians got swept in Baltimore this past weekend, and with Aroldis Chapman going to the Chicago Cubs, could the Indians make a play for Yankee reliever Andrew Miller?

Medina Gazette/Elyria Chronicle Telegram Sports Columnist Jim Ingraham joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the Tribe and their possible thoughts heading into the trade deadline.

"I think Miller is the next obvious guy to bring in and I wouldn't hesitate to put (Bradley) Zimmer or (Clint) Frazier on the table," he said.

"Anytime you have a chance to win a World Series, you take it because those opportunities don't come around very often."

The Indians will be playing a two-game set with the Washington Nationals starting Tuesday after an off-day today.

For the full interview with Jim, click here.

Two of the Indians' best and brightest prospects are one step closer to their dream of becoming big-league ballplayers.

Clint Frazier and Bradley Zimmer were called up to AAA Columbus Sunday night, and Akron RubberDucks Manager Dave Wallace was the one to give the two young men the good news.

Wallace joined the Sam Bourquin Show Monday afternoon to talk about the guys being called up. He said that moment was gratifying for him as a manager and seeing young men being able to realize their goals.

"That's part of the job, that's the most rewarding the most gratifying," he said. " It was a very cool moment last night, two really special kids not because of their talent, but their character and who they are, and I couldn't be more proud of either one of them."

For the full interview with Manager Dave Wallace and Sam Bourquin, click here.

With the shoulder injuries sustained by Cleveland Indians Yan Gomes and Michael Brantley, a lot of people are concerned and have questions about shoulder injuries as it relates to baseball.

Dr. Nilesh Shah from Summa Health System joined Brad Russell on Wednesday to talk about the injuries to both players and how they can best work through them, and get back out on the diamond.

With Brantley, he had surgery on his labrum in the offseason, and now his bicep tendon is giving him problems. Shah said in addition to rest,  Brantley's got to attack rehabiliation like a fastball over the plate.

"A lot of it is really agressive rehab to help stabilize the shoulder joint, which he has been doing," Shah said. 

With catcher Yan Gomes, who is out 4-6 weeks with a separated shoulder,  Shah says there's many different grades of separations, and it could be a differing timetable on his return.

"It's just a matter of getting his strength back, getting his range of motion back," he said.

The Cleveland Indians are looking to bounce back after a 7-3 loss to the defending World Champion Kansas City Royals Monday night at Kaufmann Stadium.

Matt Underwood, Indians play-by-play television announcer for SportsTime Ohio joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the Tribe and what they are going to look to do against KC tonight.

Underwood says the Indians need a power arm right now and that GM Chris Antonetti isn't sitting on his hands right now.

"I think the Indians are understanding of where they are right now,  they're in first place, and I think they need to make a move, he said.

The Indians and Royals will play at 8:15pm tonight Pregame starts at 7:37 on 1590 WAKR.

For Matt's full interview, click here.

With Yan Gomes being out 4-6 weeks with a separated shoulder, many questions have arisen with the catcher position, will the Indians make it work with a platoon system, or will they make a move?

Matt Loede from NEOSportsInsiders joined Brad Russell to talk about that question and more Monday.

He says they don't necessarily need to make a move.

"I think they're going to stay pat with Chris (Jiminez) and Roberto (Perez)," Loede said. "I think those two will hopefully hold the fort down, and what you lose defensively, you could make up for in offense."

For the full interview with Matt click here.

The Cleveland Indians are at the top of the division and heading into Kansas City after taking the series from the Twins over the weekend in Minneapolis.

Zack Meisel from Cleveland.com joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the club and what they might be doing with the lineup.

 Manager Terry Francona said around 4pm Eastern that Yan Gomes would be placed on the 15-day disabled list and Roberto Perez will join the big league club after being activated from the 60-day DL.

For the full interview with Zack, click right here. The Indians and the Royals will play at 8:15pm at Kaufmann Stadium in Kansas City.  Coverage begins on 1590 WAKR at 7:37 p.m.

The Cleveland Indians are ready to head into the second half of the season and Chris Assenheimer from the Elyria Chronicle Telegram joined Brad Russell in the Average Sports Show to talk about the Indians and if they need to make any moves to solidify their spot amongst the AL's best teams.

The Indians have a three game set with the Minnesota Twins starting tonight on 1590 WAKR as Carlos Carrasco takes on Erwin Santana at Target Field in Minnesota. First pitch is at 8:10 with pregame starting at 7:37pm. 

Jim Berdysz from Scout.com joined Aaron Coleman in the Sam Bourquin Show as he assessed the Cleveland Indians' season thus far as they head into the second half of the season Friday night.

The Tribe will be going up against the Minnesota Twins this weekend at Target Field.

Berdysz said the bullpen is one of the biggest concerns moving forward, but the outlook is positive for the Indians as they hold their 6.5 game lead in the AL Central.

He says with the return of Michael Brantley to the lineup in the near future, they will have more offensive firepower.

"He's been the most impactful Indian they've had in the lineup the past two years, so it'll be great to have him back in the lineup."

Berdysz says the Royals will be the Tribe's biggest foe within the division and you can't count them out because of their talent and the fact they are the defending World Series Champions.

For the full interview with Jim, click here. 

The Indians are heading into the All-Star game in first place in the AL central and when the Tribe are rolling, fans are excited ,and they hope that excitement continues as the Tribe takes on the Yankees tonight at Progressive Field.

Tribe broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus joined Brad Russell and Aaron Coleman at Progressive Field Thursday to talk about the team's chemistry and how they've been taking care of business in the first half of the season.

 He says one of the pleasant surprises of the season has been Jose Ramirez, who's done everything the team has asked of him, and easing the pain of not having Michael Brantley in the lineup for quite a few games.

The Indians are 51-33 on the season, including a 14 game winning streak, the best in team history.

 The Tribe and the Yankees will play at 7:10 with the first pitch on 1590 WAKR.

The Indians are looking good heading into the All-Star Break and with the New York Yankees coming in to town, the Tribe are looking to gain some momentum by picking up a few wins over the Bronx Bombers before the Midsummer Classic.

Indians' VP of Public Affairs Bobby DiBiasio joined Brad Russell and I at Progressive Field Thursday afternoon ahead of the Indians and Yankees game, and he said he was pleased with where the Indians are heading into the break.

One of the key elements to the Tribe's success has been the play and enthusiasm of 22-year-old All-Star Francisco Lindor and what he's brought to the table. DiBiasio says he's been living up to all the expectations.

"We're so happy for him to get the all-star nod," DiBiasio said.  "He's our shortstop, he's the man, and it's great to see him achieve this early in his career."

The Cleveland Indians are red hot as they look to sweep Atlanta and continue their winning streak, which currently stands at 11 games. 

The AL Central leading Cleveland Indians are heading into Kansas City with a great deal of momentum, and lately they've been hitting the long ball and making things happen during their road swing.

Zack Meisel from Cleveland.com joined the Sam Bourquin Show.

"The thing that's working right now is the pitching," Miesel said. "They've settled on the five guys that will lead them."

For the full interview with Zack, click here.

The Indians will open up their three-game set with the Royals in Kansas City tonight before coming back to Progressive Field Friday to take on another division foe in the Chicago White Sox.

The Indians head into Houston going 5-1 in their last six games, and their solid pitching and timely hitting has been the elixir for some success as of late.

Matt Loede, who covers the Tribe for NEOSportsInsiders.com joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the Tribe's run at Progressive Field and what they need to do to sustain that momentum and stay above water in the AL Central Division.

Loede said Josh Tomlin, who started yesterday, has been lights out this season.

"He doesn't give up a lot of free passes and he doesn't have a lot of bad innings," Loede said. "He's been consistent and he's the perfect guy for the back of that rotation, he doesn't walk many guys and he's great after losses."

Tomlin pitched seven strong innings for the Indians in the 5-4 win.

After the Cleveland Indians swept the Detroit Tigers over the weekend in Motown, the team has shaken off those slow starts that plagued them in the past and are looking to pick up some more wins as they continue their road trip.

Matt Lyons, the Lead Writer and Managing Editor of Let'sGoTribe.com joined the Average Sports Show to talk to Brad about what the sweep did for the Tribe's confidence moving forward and what the injury to Carlos Carrasco does for the rotation and the clubhouse.

When asked about Carrasco's impact, Lyons said they should be in good shape

"They do have 1-4 a solid rotation with Tomlin and Anderson in the back," Lyons said. "When he's needed Trevor Bauer will step in, and he's a good 3 or 4 starter when he's on his game."

  The Indians will face the Minnesota Twins at Target Field for a series before heading to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies. The Tribe is now 9-7 on the season.

Despite the fact that there was no baseball being played today former Cleveland Indian outfielder Kenny Lofton brought a ray of sunshine to the booth as he joined Jasen Sokol and Sam Bourquin to talk about the season.

When asked about what the Indians are looking to do in 2016, Kenny said it all comes down to the guys taking the hill every fifth day.

Mother Nature put the Cleveland Indians home opener on hold.

The Indians and Red Sox will try again Tuesday at 1:10 PM, hoping for slightly warmer and drier weather.

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(Cleveland Indians, news release) Today's game was postponed due to the forecast changing from no precipitation to having precipitation most of the afternoon and into early evening. That steady precipitation forecast combined with wind chills dropping into the teens, it was decided by both teams and umpires for fan comfort and player safety to postpone the game.

Tomorrow's forecast will continue to be cold, but no anticipated precipitation.

Fans with Home Opener tickets are encouraged to attend the rescheduled Home Opener on Tuesday. Gates will open at 11AM. The following pregame elements will return for Tuesday's game:
· Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney first pitch

· William Clarence Marshall national anthem

· #OnlyHere moments celebration with Sandy Alomar

· Military color guard presentation

· SportsTime Ohio live pregame show from The Corner

· Tricky Dick and the Cover Ups from Block Party in Right Field District

Those fans who cannot attend Tuesday's rescheduled Opener have a list of games from which to choose as an alternate game to attend. Those games include:
· Wednesday, April 6 vs. Boston (6:10PM)

· Thursday, April 7 vs. Boston (6:10PM)

· Friday, April 15 vs. New York Mets (7:10PM)

· Saturday, April 16 vs. New York Mets (4:10PM)

· Sunday, April 17 vs. New York Mets (1:10PM)

· Tuesday, April 19 vs. Seattle (6:10PM)

· Wednesday, April 20 vs. Seattle (6:10PM)

· Thursday, April 21 vs. Seattle (12:10PM)

· Friday, May 13 vs. Minnesota (7:10PM)

· Monday, May 16 vs. Cincinnati (6:10PM)

· Tuesday, May 17 vs. Cincinnati (6:10PM)

Fans should visit Indians.com/ScheduleChanges for information on how to exchange their tickets; that process will be based on how fans originally purchased seats.

The Cleveland Indians are ready to start the 2016 season, and the organization and fans alike are excited about the Tribe's outlook. 

With less than a week before the 2016 Home Opener, the Cleveland Indians are scoring with a new scoreboard at Progressive Field.

The scoreboard, unveiled Tuesday, has a high definition active display area of over 13-thousand square feet - at 59 feet high and 221 feet wide.

The new scoreboard will be joined by other new smaller scoreboards around the ballpark and a state-of-the-art sound system.

It replaces the old scoreboard, first installed at then-Jacobs Field in 2004.

The Cleveland Indians have announced their opening day festivities, which includes a local musician taking the mound.

Patrick Carney, the drummer for Akron's award winning rock band the Black Keys, won't be a "Lonely Boy" when he throws out the first pitch for the Tribe on April 4, a game that sold out in just 40 minutes.

Carney is no stranger to Progressive Field. He told ESPN last summer that he and his father James Carney have attended several Indians games together over the years as part of a family tradition.

Patrick also credits baseball for helping The Black Keys get started. He and band mate Dan Auerbach played in the West Akron Baseball League as kids, an organization that they donated about $28,000 to a year ago through t-shirt sales.

The Rubber City rock star will also be joined by former Indians players Bill Selby, Travis Hafner, and Kenny Lofton as part of the opening day events.

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(Cleveland Indians) The Cleveland Indians announced on Monday a full schedule of festivities leading up to first pitch at 4:10PM on Monday, April 4, the Tribe’s 2016 Home Opener at Progressive Field. Gates will open at 2PM.

The game, the Tribe’s 23nd Home Opener at Progressive Field, marks the 116th as a charter member of the American League, and the 24rd consecutive Home Opener sellout dating back to the team’s final year at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. This year’s game sold out in 40 minutes on February 29.

The Black Keys drummer and Akron native Patrick Carney will throw the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day against the Red Sox. Carney and Dan Auerbach formed The Black Keys in 2001, and since have won seven Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award.

Operatic singer William Clarence Marshall, who also calls northeast Ohio home, is set to sing the national anthem. Marshall has a decorated career, including appearances with Opera Cleveland, Akron Symphony Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra.

The Indians will honor all branches of the United States military, as members of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard will present the colors. Meanwhile, an oversized American flag will be presented by 250 employees of Progressive Insurance, the presenting partner of the club’s Opening Series.

Alumni Bill Selby, Travis Hafner and Kenny Lofton also will be on hand April 4 to celebrate some of the top “Only Here” moments in ballpark history.

Those three alumni will attend pregame ceremonies and will be recognized for “Only Here” moments at Jacobs/Progressive Field in which they played a part, including:

· Selby’s walk-off grand slam off Mariano Rivera in 2002, Selby’s first and only career walk-off hit and grand slam, giving the Indians a 10-7 win against the Yankees.

· Hafner’s game-winning walk-off single during the American League Division Series “bug game” in 2007, giving the Indians a 2-1 win over the Yankees and a 2-0 series lead.

· Lofton’s catch in center field to rob B.J Surhoff of a home run on August 4, 1996, and Lofton’s game-winning run in the team’s 12-run comeback against Seattle in 2001.

The celebration will be an extension of the Tribe’s 2016 “Only Here” brand campaign, which launched today on television and radio across Northeast Ohio, and on Indians.com and social media. The Indians will celebrate moments whose impact can be best felt by experiencing games at Progressive Field, where fans can be part of the action and excitement – i.e. Corey Kluber’s 18-strikeout game last May or Yan Gomes’ grand slam last August.

The Indians are just a handful of games into Spring Training, and there's some questions surrounding the makeup of this team heading into Opening Day.

Matt Loede from NEOSportsInsiders.com joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk Tribe and his thoughts as to the strengths and weaknesses of the Indians before they start the 162-game marathon that is the regular season.

When asked what he's liked from this club so far, it all goes back to the starting rotation, which is one of the best in the AL, if not the entire league.

"The starting pitching is going to be the obvious strong point of this team," Loede said. "They feel that if this team can produce 3-4 runs per night to go along with that pitching, they'll be pretty tough to beat."

With the Indians' offseason pickups, Mike Napoli, Rajai Davis, and Juan Uribe, Loede says Napoli will provide a solid presence in the lineup and in the clubhouse.

 "He's excited, he's got a lot to prove, and I think it's going to be a good pickup," Loede said. 

One of the Cleveland Indians' starting pitchers is ready to take his talents to the next level and continue to contribute every fifth day.

Danny Salazar joined our own Sam Bourquin out in Goodyear, Arizona as part of Wahoo Week on 1590 WAKR, and Danny says he's anxious for the season to get started.

"The more we play here (in Arizona), the more ready we get for the season," he says.

Salazar says he's been working hard in the offseason, working on his fastball a little bit, which he says is his best pitch.

"It doesn't matter how hard you throw," Danny says. "If you can learn to locate that fastball, that's the key to a successful career."

Danny says his favorite part about being in the big leagues is enjoying time with his teammates and coming to the ballpark and competing.

Spring Training is in full swing for the Cleveland Indians, and one of their pitchers is coming off an arduous rehab and is ready to to get back on the mound and contribute.

T.J. House spoke with Sam Bourquin out in Goodyear, Arizona Monday to talk about coming back from the shoulder problems that the 

"I'm excited to be back, I feel like baseball's been on the back burner for me for at least a year, so it's good to get back out here and get going."

T.J. said he's feeling good and doesn't have any limitations health-wise, but he knows that he's going to pick up more knowledge and improve on his game while in camp.

House said he mastered his curveball while at the big-league level, and adds that to his pitching repetoire, along with his fastball and slider.

"They first developed my change-up here, and then they started working on my curveball, so 2014 was when I started getting comfortable throwing my curveball."

Spring training baseball is right around the corner, and the Cleveland Indians are getting ready to roll in Goodyear, Arizona.

Matt Loede, from NEOSportsInsiders.com joined Brad to talk a little Tribe as they get ready for the long season, starting with Opening Day April 4.

The major question heading into the season is will the Indians have enough offense to sustain themselves game in and game out, especially with All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley out for an extended period of time with a shoulder injury.

 "He appears to be on track to come back quickly, but you don't want a situation where you force him back early and he gets re-injured and tries to overcompensate," Loede said.

Fans are also looking to see more production out of Carlos Santana, who the club is toying with the idea of having him hit leadoff. Loede said in spring training, there's many things teams try to do to make things better.

With 83 days until Opening Day and just 18 short days until Tribe Fest, baseball season is on a lot of people's minds.

Cleveland Indians Communications Coordinator Joel Hammond joined the Average Sports Show Tuesday to talk about the event and some of the key elements that will take place on January 30.

Hammond says it's a great way for fans to interact with players in a relaxed setting.

"That's one of the biggest things we've heard from fans is how accessible the players are during Tribe Fest, and it's a great experience for them, (players and fans alike."

Some of the players who will be at Tribe Fest include Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley, Danny Salazar, and more.

The event will be held at Aloft Cleveland Downtown from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

You can get General Admisson tickets for just $5 at Indians.com/TribeFest.

Chris Assenheimer from the Elyria Chronicle Telegram joined the Sam Bourquin Show Thursday to talk about the Indians picking up Mike Napoli and Rajai Davis in hopes of injecting some more power into the lineup for the Tribe during the 2016 campaign.

Chris said the move has driven up the Indians stock.

"Those are two guys that are Major League proven," Assenheimer said.

Tom Hamilton of the Cleveland Indians joins Ray Horner to celebrate a renewed contract between the Indians and WAKR. Horner and Hamilton talk about baseball and additions to the team.

One of the longest-running sports-broadcast affiliations in sports will have another five years of bringing baseball to Akron. The Cleveland Indians and 1590 WAKR have agreed to a new, five year contract keeping the Tribe on Akron's station for news, talk and sports.  

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(WAKR, Cleveland Indians) 1590 WAKR and the Cleveland Indians have inked a new, five-year contract that extends the love affair between the team and the Akron station, one of the longest-serving radio affiliates along the Indians Radio Network line.

"Nothing says spring, summer and hopefully autumn in Northeast Ohio better than Indians baseball," said 1590 WAKR President and General Manager Thom Mandel. "Our heritage as a key affiliate for the Tribe continues through this decade, and we are proud to continue our support of the Cleveland Indians on the station greater Akron relies on for Indians baseball."

"The Cleveland Indians are very excited to extend our successful partnership with Rubber City Radio Group," said Cleveland Indians Sr. Director of Communications Curtis Danburg. "We are fortunate 1590 WAKR continues to be Akron's radio home of the Tribe in 2016 and beyond."

WAKR will begin the season with most spring training games live beginning March 1, 2016 with Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus calling play-by-play. WAKR also carries "Tribe Talk" through the year and "Indians Hot Stove Report" during the off-season to help keep fans in the loop for all things Indians baseball.

1590 WAKR began broadcasting on October 15, 1940 and for much of the station's history has served as the affiliate for Indians baseball. WAKR also serves as the Akron affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State football and men's basketball, and also simulcasts select Cleveland Browns programs and games in conjunction with 97.5 WONE when available.

1590 WAKR and WAKR.net are owned by the Rubber City Radio Group.

The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings are in full swing and some teams are wheeling and dealing, and the Cleveland Indians might be in the process of making some deals themselves.

Tribe broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the annual meetings in Nashville and some of the goings-on there.

One of the major pieces for the Indians when it comes to any sort of deal is what it's going to cost them and what quality starting pitcher they might need to give up in order to get a quality bat in the lineup.

Some of those rumors include the Cincinnati Reds unloading third baseman Todd Frazier, whom both Sam and Jim think would be a key addition if that were to happen.

The Cleveland Indians announced Monday that the more than 10-year-old scoreboard at Progressive Field will be replaced with a new high-definition screen.

The new scoreboard will measure 59-feet high by 221-feet wide and will include a new sound system for the 2016 season.

Renovations are still underway at the stadium to add more local restaurants and a new club on the main level and behind home plate.

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(Cleveland Indians - MLB Pro Blog) The Cleveland Indians announced that a new scoreboard will be in place at Progressive Field for the 2016 season and beyond.

The scoreboard will replace the current, now-outdated system installed at then-Jacobs Field in 2004.

The new scoreboard, manufactured and installed by Daktronics, will feature premier high-definition technology for every fan at Progressive Field. It measures 59 feet high by 221 feet wide, amounting to 13,000 square feet of active display area.

The project includes other boards throughout the ballpark which will enhance fans' experience by providing greater access to statistics, scores from around the league and sound quality. The project also includes a state of the art new sound system to be installed for the 2016 season.

"The new boards will significantly enhance our fans' experience at Progressive Field," said Neil Weiss, the Indians Senior Vice President of Technology and Chief Information Officer. "This project increases our ability to deliver a world-class in game experience, delivering stats, highlights and player profiles in large, high-definition formats."

The installation of the new scoreboard will begin as work continues this offseason on Phase 2 of Progressive Field renovations. Phase 2 expands themes from the successful Right Field District project completed in April to the rest of the ballpark, including:

Concessions: The Indians and Delaware North Sportservice will look to incorporate more popular local restaurants into the ballpark, similar to those that were part of the Right Field District introduced at the start of the 2015 season: Melt, Barrio, Sweet Moses, Great Lakes Brewing Co. and Dynomite Burgers
Club behind home plate: The Indians will construct a new club located on the ballpark's main level and behind home plate, providing great views of the action on the field. The club will include a full bar, access to a variety of new concessions options within the space, a customer service center and a glass front for prime viewing. The club will remain open after games, to offer Season Ticket Holders with access to an option to let traffic clear on high-demand games. The club also will significantly improve views of the field for all fans using the main concourse behind the home plate area.

Additional elements: The second phase of renovations will also feature wayfinding consistent with the Right Field District, updated signage and more team history incorporated throughout Progressive Field, along with the renovation of a select number of suites.

"We're proud to partner with the Cleveland Indians to provide Progressive Field with a premier, high-definition video display system," said Daktronics CEO Reece Kurtenbach. "As venues hosting live sporting events continue to strive to improve fan entertainment, Daktronics continues to provide industry-leading technology to stay in front of these trends. This installation will deliver an impressive and memorable game-day experience for Indians fans in 2016."

Cleveland Indians broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus will be alongside Tom Hamilton for more years to come,

Rosenhaus signed a multi-year extension with the club to continue as the pregame host and as an in-game play-by-play broadcaster with Hammy all along the Cleveland Indians radio network.

Jim joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about his radio journey and what the Indians organization has meant to him.

 "I couldn't imagine doing it anywhere else," Rosey said. He will be entering his 10th year with the Indians this coming season.

The Cleveland Indians are working on Phase II of the renovations at Progressive Field to make the fan experience even more enjoyable in 2016.

Joel Hammond, Communications Coordinator for the Tribe joined the Sam Bourquin Show to talk about the new additions, construction taking place in and around the ballpark, and what those changes will do to make the trip to the corner of Carneige and Ontario a good one.

"We're looking to extend a little bit of that right field corner district all around the ballpark," Hammond said.   "It'll give fans great views of the game."

 "We're going to bring some of that local flavor as far as the food with some to-be-announced restaurants to go along with Melt and Barrio."

There will also be a club put in Progressive Field right behind home plate.

The Corner bar in right field was a hit with fans last season, with many people making their way to that section of the ballpark to enjoy a few libations and catch the Tribe in action.

Also, Joel talked about the shoulder surgery for Indians outfielder Michael Brantley and what his timetable is to return.

"If I know Michael though, he will work tirelessly to get back to the field, and he'll try to accelerate his recovery as much as possible." Brantley's expected to be out 4-6 months.

With winter meetings and Spring Training just a little over 100 days away, the Cleveland Indians are looking to make some important strides into getting where they want to be.

Tribe broadcaster Jim Rosenhaus made an in-studio visit to the Sam Bourquin show to talk about what he feels will get the Indians over the hump.

When asked about how the young kids who came up towards the end of the season, Rosey said they played inspired baseball and finished strong.

"It gives you some hope for next season," Rosenhaus said. "Sometimes it's how you finish a season that doesn't start out as promising and how you battle to finish it out."

 The Indians finished the season 81-80 without making the postseason, a disappointment no doubt, but a building block for future development and growth.

Many people say that when the team unloaded veteran players like Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn, and brought up youngsters like Fransisco Lindor, Abraham Almonte, and Giovanni Urshela, they meshed well with leaders like Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis.

"I think it wasn't until those players (Bourn and Swisher) left that guys like Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis took ownership of the team and said 'This is our club,' and they were encouraged to do so by Chris Antonetti and Terry Francona, so that made a big difference," said Jim Rosenhaus.